Asia Pacific consumers prefer low costs and flexible shipping, UPS study says

Yesterday, UPS released a study on the habits of online shoppers in the Asia Pacific. Some of the key findings guiding habits, the study found, were delivery cost, flexibility and service quality. 

The study finds that high delivery costs are the number one reason that consumers may abandon their online shopping cart. 39% of consumers surveyed opt not to purchase goods if delivery costs are higher than expected. UPS’ research also shows that 95% of consumers would consider forgoing the fastest shipping options for other incentives, such as lower prices, retail credit and purchase consolidation. 

According to UPS, shoppers will also actively pursue free shipping – 37% are willing to purchase extra items for free shipping; 30% leverage online promotional codes; and 27% are willing to purchase a more expensive product for free shipping. Nearly half of shoppers surveyed are willing to pay for speedy delivery of two days or less, although 8% would refuse to purchase items if they need to pay for shipping at all. 

Additionally, the study finds that consumers are increasingly seeking flexible delivery options, with the ability to choose delivery times, dates and locations. Priorities shift based on location, however. Australia and Hong Kong both value options for shipping prices. Meanwhile, China prioritizes choosing a delivery date and South Korea most values a guaranteed delivery date. 

Home delivery was the most preferred option in the region overall. However, Asia Pacific shoppers are more likely to take advantage of specialized delivery services, such as real-time package re-routing and delivering multiple packages at once, than shoppers in Europe or the Americas. 

Quality service for shipments was highly valued across all Asia-Pacific consumers surveyed.